Composition of matter and method of use thereof



United States Patent 3,308,561 COMPOSITION OF MATTER AND METHOD OF USE THEREOF Joseph Paul Mayo, 38 Otis Hill Road, Hingham, Mass. 02043 No Drawing. Filed Mar. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 265,582 11 Claims. (CI. 3659) The present invention relates to a combination of ingredients having properties which especially recommend it as a means for retarding or eliminating adhesion of dirt or mud to surfaces to which the substance has been applied. The invention also relates to novel methods of use of the aforementioned substance and combinations of other articles therewith as will appear more fully hereinafter.

It is well known that, in order to provide better traction for the wearer, the soles of many types of athletic shoes are provided with ground-engaging members commonly known as spikes or cleats. Although such members are generally effective for their intended purpose, soil or mud often adheres to the soles of the shoes between the spikes or cleats. These members are thus prevented from engaging the surface upon which they are worn and their effectiveness is seriously impaired until the adhering material has been removed. This undesirable condition is usually found to be most prevalent when the shoes are worn on wet or muddy ground.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel composition which may be applied to the soles of athletic shoes which have ground-engaging members thereon for the purpose of preventing adhesion of soil, mud, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel process of preparing for use an athletic shoe having ground-engaging members, which process is effective to prevent or retard the adhesion of foreign matter to the sole of the shoe around and between the groundcngagin-g members.

A still further object is to provide a novel combination comprising an athletic shoe having ground-engaging members on the soles thereof and a composition of matter which prevents or retards adhesion of foreign matter around and between the ground-engaging members.

Still another object is to provide a composition which effectively reduces the tendency of ground-engaging members on athletic shoes to retain soil and mud, and which is economical in manufacture, simple and expedient in use, and refined in appearance.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the composition of matter possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements, and the process involving the one or more steps described, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

The aforementioned objects and advantages are realized in accordance with the present invention by applying to the sole and ground-engaging members of an athletic shoe a dispersion of powdered graphite in oil. The en gagement members referred to are commonly found on standard athletic shoes, in general and well-known use, such as those worn when participating in the sports of football, baseball, soccer, and most track events, among many others. Such ground-engaging members may be of the type commonly tenned cleats, which are usually blunt and made of Bakelite, plastic, or other such compositions, or of the type known as spikes, which are relatively sharp and often made of a suitable metal. The present invention is intended to apply equally to all types of such ground-engaging members.

The preferred form of the invention includes a com mon oil, which term as used herein is intended to include any unctuous liquid which is insoluble in water. A specific example of such an oil which has been found to be suitable for use in the present invention is petroleum oil, such as that commonly used as a lubricant in the crankcase of motor vehicles. A satisfactory weigh or viscosity of oil for use in the present invention is a viscosity corresponding substanitally to that of SAE 30 petroleum oil, although both heavier and lighter oils may be used. As previously mentioned, a quantity of powdered graphite is suspended in the oil. For best results, it is recommended that the oil constitutes from 70% to 90% by weight of the end product, and the graphite constitutes from 10% to 30% thereof.

It has been found that the addition of a pigment coloring to the oil and graphite improves the appearance and texture of the product. Although the particular color used is, of course, immaterial it is preferred that a common oil-base pigment be used. The ingredients should be present in such proportions, when a pigment is used, so as to provide in the ultimate product from about 70- 85% oil, from about 10-20% powdered graphite, and from about 5-15 pigment tint. As an illustrative example, olfered so that the invention may be better understood and practiced, it is suggested that the ingredients be present in the following proportions by weight of the ultimate product:

Percent SAE 30 petroleum oil Powdered graphite 10 Pigment tint 10 Although the above-described product may be applied in any convenient manner to the sole and engagement members of the shoe, it has been found that the product may be easily and quickly applied from a common aerosol -container in the form of a spray. This method of dispensing the product is helpful also because the container may conveniently be shaken prior to use so that the graphite, which may tend to settle, will be dispersed evenly through the oil prior to application. Additionally, contact of the composition with the hands, which may be undesirable in certain instances, is avoided by application in this manner. The composition is preferably applied in the form of a film coating or layer to at least the area of the shoe surrounding the ground-engaging members, as well as to the members themselves. When so applied, the composition prevents foreign matter such as mud, for example, from adhering to the shoe around and between the ground-engaging members without adversely affecting stability of footing, as by making the shoes slippery, since the ground-engaging members are increased in effectiveness.

Since certain changes may be made in the composition of matter and process described hereinbefore without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention in such manner that it may be practiced by those skilled in the art, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patent is:

1. The combination comprising:' an athletic shoe having a sole, at least one ground-engaging :member extending from said sole, and a composition of matter at least partially covering said sole and said ground-engaging member and comprising from about 70-90% by weight petroleum oil and 1030% powdered graphite.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said petroleum oil has a viscosity corresponding substantially to that of SAE 30 oil.

3. The combination comprising: an athletic shoe having a sole, at least one ground-engaging member extending from said sole, and a composition of matter at least partially covering said sole and said ground-engaging member and comprising from about 70-85% by weight petroleum oil, 10-20% powdered graphite, and 515% pigment tint.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said petroleum oil has a viscosity corresponding substantially to that of SAE 30 oil.

5. The method of preparing for use an athletic shoe whereby foreign matter is prevented from adhering to said shoe around and between ground-engaging members extending from the sole thereof, said method comprising applying to at least a portion of said sole and said groundengaging members a composition of matter comprising from about 70-90% by weight petroleum oil and 30% powdered graphite.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said petroleum oil has a viscosity corresponding substantially to that of SAE 30 oil.

7. The method of preparing for use an athletic shoe whereby foreign matter is prevented from adhering to said shoe around and between ground-engaging members extending from the sole thereof, said method comprising applying to at least a portion of said sole and said groundengaging members a composition of matter comprising from about 70-85% by weight petroleum oil, 10-20% powdered graphite, and 515% pigment tint.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said 4 petroleum oil has a viscosity corresponding substantially to that of SAE oil.

9. The method of preparing for use an athletic shoe whereby foreign matter is prevented from adhering to said shoe around and between ground-engaging members extending from the sole thereof, said method comprising applying to at least a portion of said sole and said groundengaging members an oily liquid in sufficient quantity as to be carried on the surface of said sole, as opposed to being absorbed thereby.

10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein a quantity of a powdered commercial carbon is suspended in said oily liquid.

11. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said oily liquid comprises a hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity corresponding substantially to that of SAE 30 petroleum oil.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,515 10/1931 Gol-denberg 36-59 2,413,177 12/1946 Stefare 36-59 2,910,374 10/1959 Sumko et a1. 106-285 2,956,890 10/1960 Casteras 10638.22 2,960,412 11/ 1960 Ayers 106-285 2,970,927 2/1961 David 106266 3,032,430 5/1962 Heller 106307 3,043,026 7/ 1962 Semen 3859 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS LIEBMAN, J. EVANS, Assistant Examiners. 

1. THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: AN ATHLETIC SHOE HAVING A SOLE, AT LEAST ONE GROUND-ENGAGING MEMBER EXTENDING FROM SAID SOLE, AND A COMPOSITION OF MATTER AT LEAST PARTIALLY COVERING SAID SOLE AND SAID GROUND-ENGAGING MEMBER AND COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 70-90% BY WEIGHT PETROLEUM OIL AND 10-30% POWDERED GRAPHITE. 